Fix-It Tips: April

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Spring has sprung — in many places. Even if spring hasn’t visited you yet, you can get ready for it right now. Spend a few minutes checking the condition of yard tools, grills, decks, and other outdoor stuff with the tips below. We’ve also included some year-round tips to make fixing things easier./p>

Fix-It Tip #1

In spring, disassemble your barbeque or gas grill and clean it. Replacement parts are available at most hardware stores. Also, you can clean soiled stone barbeque briquettes by burning them soiled-side down for at least 30 minutes. From Gas Grill Repair.

Fix-It Tip #2

Some yard trimmers come with or have been retrofitted by the owner with plastic blades replacing the monofilament line and heads. Make sure that the blades are firmly attached and in good condition before operation. Getting hit with a chunk of plastic will hurt more than with a mono line. From Yard Trimmer Repair.

Fix-It Tip #3

Why do you need to disconnect the spark plug cable before beginning any lawn mower repairs ? Rotating the blade by hand can make the engine start–if there is spark. Think of those old movies where the pilot would start a plane by turning a switch (“Switch on!“) and the helper would spin the propeller. Now imagine that the helper had his arm around the prop! From Rotary Law Mower Repair.

Fix-It Tip #4

Inspection and maintenance are the best methods of keeping jewelry and eyeglasses functioning longer. Most important, clean jewelry regularly using jewelry cleaning products specific to the type of metal that’s in them. Check and tighten eyeglass frames, especially reading glasses that are frequently put on and removed. From Jewelry Repair.

When replacing a button battery in a device, always replace it with the same size and type, indicated by the battery model number, typically etched on the top side. From Button Battery Repair.

Fix-It Tip #7

As you shop for replacement things, open up the box and read the warranty card to find out how long the product or specific parts are covered for repairs or replacement. From Warranties.

Fix-It Tip #8

How many smoke detectors should you have in your house? At a minimum, every home needs one smoke detector on each floor. A better idea is to add a smoke detector in or near each bedroom or bedroom group. If you are building a new home or are handy with electrical things, you can wire sensors and alarms together so that any one of them sets off the entire alarm system. From Smoke Detector Repair.

Fix-It Tip #9

Make sure you apply an extra coat of preservative to the ends of any replacement deck pieces cut. From Deck Repair.

Fix-It Tip #10

Recycled-content products are made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded. That means these products are made totally or partially from material contained in the products you recycle, like aluminum soda cans or newspaper. Recycled-content products also can be items that are rebuilt or re-manufactured from used products such as toner cartridges or computers. There are more than 4,500 recycled-content products available, and this number continues to grow. In fact, many of the products people regularly purchase contain recycled-content. From Recycled Content.

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